From: Beverly French [frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us]
Sent: Sunday, December 05, 2004 6:08 AM
To: Heritage
Subject: December 5th Greetings

On the Friday after Thanksgiving Day the Christmas rush begins.  The big focus seems to be on the profits that the stores will make during the season and not on the reason we celebrate Christmas; the birth of the Savior of the world.  This is not new, but this year there seems to be a greater push to take Christ out of Christmas more than ever.  As Believers let us conduct ourselves in such a way that all may see that there is something different about us.

For Jesus said,
"Your are the light of the world..."  Matthew 5:14
"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."  Matthew 5:16

Ephesians 5:1-2 tells us,
"Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us..."

How then are we to conduct ourselves?  In love!  In this season that is said to be jolly, happy, filled with good will and best wishes; there is such a lack of all these things.  Instead we find people who are tense, impatient, lacking self control and quick to anger.  They are not walking in the light of Christ Jesus for He is the light.

John 1:4-5 tells us,
"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."

The Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 5:8-9,
"For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness and righteousness and truth)."

Isaiah 49:6 says,
"...I will also make You a light of the nations
 So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth."

Believer, you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit: 'you are light in the Lord' in this world!  So 'walk as children of the Lord'; 'walk in love'!

And how does love express itself?  Our first thought is 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, "Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous, love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth bears all things, believes all things hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails..."

Also, there is the walk in the Spirit that we are called to and as we yield to Him, His fruit will be manifested which is: "...Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

So let us give the Holy Spirit free reign that our conduct will be such that 'all may see our good works and give glory to our Heavenly Father'.  And, by His grace, seek to know why we act as we do.  Then hopefully, we will have the opportunity to share the reason we celebrate Christmas: The birth of the Savior of the world and God's plan of salvation for all mankind!

May your Christmas preparation be filled with your whole being focused on Christ Jesus our Lord.  Hallelujah and Amen.